Ashley Wagner Cheer Thread #3: The Subject of Tonight's Lecture...

[kwanatic]

So many skaters are "skipping the GP series" this year. I really wonder how many of them will actually come back and compete...

For Ashley, I don't really expect to see her comeback, though I would love to see her at nationals one more time. If she doesn't compete in the GP this year, can she show up at nationals in 2019? I feel like she deserves a decent farewell after all she's done for US skating over the past 7 or 8 years. It'd be great to see her go out on her own terms.

Whether she comes back or not, I'm happy for her. The US women's field is definitely opening up a bit more. Things seem relatively secure with having Bradie in the mix but the rest of the gang (Karen, Mariah, etc.) is pretty iffy. We'll have to wait on the current crop of juniors who show promise to really step up (Alysa, Ting, Starr, Hanna, Audrey, Pooja, etc.). I'm going to miss Ashley and Mirai but it's going to be fun watching the ranks fill in over the next few years.

 

[Sylvia]

For Ashley, I don't really expect to see her comeback, though I would love to see her at nationals one more time. If she doesn't compete in the GP this year, can she show up at nationals in 2019?

Since Ashley was top 5 at Nationals, she has an automatic bye to 2019 Nationals. She would have to register for U.S. qualifying season by the deadline of Sept. 1st in order to receive her bye.

Cross-posting from Nathan's fan thread:

Bridgestone hosted an Olympic Day at the Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tennessee last Thursday (June 21) with Nathan, Ashley & Scott Hamilton - local news video: https://www.wkrn.com/news/bridgestone-hosts-olympic-day-at-ford-ice-center/1255829202

Brief video on the ice: https://www.instagram.com/p/BkTiw-Vl85E/?taken-by=scottsk8academy
Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/BkV8W1BFN62/?taken-by=scottsk8academy

 

[Carolla5501]

For Ashley, I don't really expect to see her comeback, though I would love to see her at nationals one more time. If she doesn't compete in the GP this year, can she show up at nationals in 2019? I feel like she deserves a decent farewell after all she's done for US skating over the past 7 or 8 years. It'd be great to see her go out on her own terms.

.

I'm afraid that if she doesn't win it wouldn't be her terms. I don't see her doing the Sasha or Rachel skate where they skate and are proud of their skate. Maybe I am wrong, but that's just my view of how she's reacted all these years. Placements are key it seems to me

 

[PDilemma]

I'm afraid that if she doesn't win it wouldn't be her terms. I don't see her doing the Sasha or Rachel skate where they skate and are proud of their skate. Maybe I am wrong, but that's just my view of how she's reacted all these years. Placements are key it seems to me

It depends on what her personal goal is. If she were to go with the goal of making the World team, then, no, skating well and saying goodbye wouldn't be enough for her. If she decides to go as a swan song, then a good placement and a medal would be gravy.

She has been very driven and goal oriented since 2010, but that doesn't mean she would be the same making a one time comeback in 2019.

 

[BittyBug]

Love Ashley but I'd be shocked if she continues.

 

[aml78]

Love Ashley but I'd be shocked if she continues.

Sadly, I agree. Just not ready to accept it yet.

 

[aftershocks]

Just not ready to accept it yet.

Do you mean you're not ready yet, or you think she's not ready?

Possibly, like many skaters who have an inkling they won't be continuing, Ashley may have already made her decision internally. Perhaps she's simply not ready to make a public announcement, in order to preserve unanticipated options, which is hardly unusual. Or probably she's merely taking it one day at a time.

It would likely be easier for veteran skaters to simply call it quits on their eligible careers if there was a viable competitive professional tour, which is sorely needed. It would be so helpful in making the transition for skaters who still feel the desire and fire to compete (but who have outgrown or outworn their welcome in the senior eligible landscape).

 

[aml78]

Do you mean you're not ready yet, or you think she's not ready?

Possibly, like many skaters who have an inkling they won't be continuing, Ashley may have already made her decision internally. Perhaps she's simply not ready to make a public announcement, in order to preserve unanticipated options, which is hardly unusual. Or probably she's merely taking it one day at a time.

It would likely be easier for veteran skaters to simply call it quits on their eligible careers if there was a viable competitive professional tour, which is sorely needed. It would be so helpful in making the transition for skaters who still feel the desire and fire to compete (but who have outgrown or outworn their welcome in the senior eligible landscape).

I’m not ready

 

[Firedancer]

I’m sad we won’t see Ashley on the Grand Prix this fall. She deserves credit for all she has done for the US ladies over the last eight years and has more than earned a rest. It was strange for assignments to come out yesterday and for both Ashley and Mirai (and many others) to not be included. They have been two of my favorite ladies for a long time.

Ashley still has a performance ability that none of the other US ladies have. I would like to see her come back to at least have a better ending to her competitive career than last year’s nationals. But I don’t get the feeling we will see her compete again. I would love for her to prove me wrong though.

 

[Carolla5501]

She finished what last year? 4th.


I honestly don’t know that she would finish any higher this year. So if you’re expecting the swan song to be a medal, I’m not sure that is realistic. her jumps are going the wrong direction unfortunately and some of these young girls can actually land the triple triple. I think she needs to come back if she’s happy giving a great performance, getting that standing ovation and doesn’t care about her placement. But if she wants to be US champion or make the world tean or even get a medal she needs to be working on her jumping now! Maybe she is?

 

[Finnice]

I will miss her a lot. I will never forget her Boston silver FS, glad that I could see it live.

 

[artsciboy]

She finished what last year? 4th.


I honestly don’t know that she would finish any higher this year. So if you’re expecting the swan song to be a medal, I’m not sure that is realistic. her jumps are going the wrong direction unfortunately and some of these young girls can actually land the triple triple. I think she needs to come back if she’s happy giving a great performance, getting that standing ovation and doesn’t care about her placement. But if she wants to be US champion or make the world tean or even get a medal she needs to be working on her jumping now! Maybe she is?

Her 4th last year was controversial and arguably should have been higher. As for her jumps, its more a matter of training with Ashley. If she devotes herself to training, she'll be competitive with not just the US field but internationally. She's held off the young girls doing triples triples for years - certainly in the US, most of those young girls have underrotation problems that are worse than Ashley's.

 

[Carolla5501]

Her 4th last year was controversial and arguably should have been higher. As for her jumps, its more a matter of training with Ashley. If she devotes herself to training, she'll be competitive with not just the US field but internationally. She's held off the young girls doing triples triples for years - certainly in the US, most of those young girls have underrotation problems that are worse than Ashley's.

Or it could have been lower. I was there. I agreed with the outcome


But is she training? That's the question. If she isn't it's not going to be better than last year. (And they have already shown her that they are not gifting her a placement)

 

[UGG]

I'm afraid that if she doesn't win it wouldn't be her terms. I don't see her doing the Sasha or Rachel skate where they skate and are proud of their skate. Maybe I am wrong, but that's just my view of how she's reacted all these years. Placements are key it seems to me

I am pretty sure Sasha was always skating for 1st place and never really acted as if she settled for 2nd or 3rd and she was probably mad she missed the Olympics. I mean she handled her 4th place with grace and dignity but what else was she supposed to do? Punch Miria? Her 4th was fair.

 

[Firedancer]

According to Ashley’s lastest Instagram story, she is considering doing a podcast and talking about skating related topics. She asks for ideas people want to hear about if anyone has anything they want to send her.

 

[Carolla5501]

I am pretty sure Sasha was always skating for 1st place and never really acted as if she settled for 2nd or 3rd and she was probably mad she missed the Olympics. I mean she handled her 4th place with grace and dignity but what else was she supposed to do? Punch Miria? Her 4th was fair.

With Sasha I think she started out aiming for the top and the games, but I felt like by the time she came to Nationals she knew it wasn't going to happen and had made peace with the "have a good skate and move on" moment she was going to have. I don't think she came to Nationals with a lot of hope for that placement on the team.

 

[aftershocks]

According to Ashley’s lastest Instagram story, she is considering doing a podcast and talking about skating related topics. She asks for ideas people want to hear about if anyone has anything they want to send her.

Sounds like a cool seque for Ashley that can grow and develop over time. Maybe she could try something different like interviewing coaches and family members of skaters. Riffing on aspects of former programs and competitions and aha moments during her career. Talking to former skaters about their transitions and triumphs over adversities. Take us behind-the-scenes re costume and program development, and life on tour today vs yesteryear. There's a vast untapped vault's worth of stories and angles to explore...

I wish Ashley luck and I will definitely tune in. We need more and better conversation about skating now, where it's been and where it's headed.

 

[Eeyora1]

I am so sick of people bashing on Ashley and reflecting defining her whole career by how she performed last season. It’s like the people who base Michelle Kwan’s career on how she performed in 2005.

 

[Cleo1782]

Or it could have been lower. I was there. I agreed with the outcome


But is she training? That's the question. If she isn't it's not going to be better than last year. (And they have already shown her that they are not gifting her a placement)

Really? I was there too and I am not the biggest Ashley fan, but I thought she did well enough for 3rd. I got the 4th place finish, as Karen skated decently, but I didn't think the USFS would put Karen over Ashley. I would never had put Ashley below 4th...Mariah Bell and Starr Andrews were both good, but not near Ashley IMO.

 

[Carolla5501]

Really? I was there too and I am not the biggest Ashley fan, but I thought she did well enough for 3rd. I got the 4th place finish, as Karen skated decently, but I didn't think the USFS would put Karen over Ashley. I would never had put Ashley below 4th...Mariah Bell and Starr Andrews were both good, but not near Ashley IMO.

I think Ashley agreed with you. Personally I didn't.

 

[Cleo1782]

I think Ashley agreed with you. Personally I didn't.

I mean there is a solid argument for Karen getting 3rd, but out of curiosity who would you have put above Ashley besides that? Honestly, I can't think of anyone who deserved to beat even a sub-par Ashley. Mariah had mistakes and Starr was relatively clean but juniorish without a 3 lutz.

 

[Wyliefan]

Ashley is moving to Boston, per her Instagram. No details yet on her plans there.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm3g-wTHpIQ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ej731rogwu58

 

[Eeyora1]

Ashley is moving to Boston, per her Instagram. No details yet on her plans there.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm3g-wTHpIQ/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ej731rogwu58

I am ecstatic to hear this. Wonder what her plans are. It looks like a podcast may be in the works.

 

[DimaToe]

Wagner has been been my favorite U.S. skater (any discipline) for about 7 years IIRC. I just love her story. The spare 4th best from a crop that was supposed to keep the legacy of the U.S. ladies going was the one that stepped up and became the top U.S. woman of her generation. She literally made some diva lemonade out of small and dry lemons. While I do not like how her last competition turned out she had so many good performances (well mostly her signature gritty comeback LPs) to be exact, that it makes it ok for me if she’s done with competitive skating, but I would be celebrating for a month if she were ever to decide to skate competitively again.

 

[UGG]

Ashley has become my 2nd favorite ladies skater after Michelle. I was not in any way a fan in 2010 but her work ethic really impressed me. She is no doubt the top US Lady of the last 10 years. And it is funny how after all the Caroline/Mirai/Rachel hype...Ashley was the skater who came out on top.

I still will never understand the dumping for Karen Chenby USFSA. Ashley should have won nationals in 2017 and she should have been 3rd in 2018. Karen was so lame at the Olympics crying about missing her mom and then drops out of worlds.

 

[lala]

In 15-16 September, Shanghai she will perform on Stars on Ice shows.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

I don't think Ashley really liked to work that much but had a goal which she accomplished. How many skaters in mature phase can clean up one 3-3 and add a second (Mirai also added 3A late). A lot of people went to Raf later in their career to increase their technical; how many actually got anywhere. It's just hard to do.

 

[olympic]

I just wish that she had been able to capitalize on her 2016 World Silver Medal and continued with the same momentum in 2017 and Pyeongchang. I think her 2017 programs were inferior to her 2016 programs which didn’t help but she seemed to be out of fight by 2017 Worlds

 

[savchenkoboss]

Ashley has become my 2nd favorite ladies skater after Michelle. I was not in any way a fan in 2010 but her work ethic really impressed me. She is no doubt the top US Lady of the last 10 years. And it is funny how after all the Caroline/Mirai/Rachel hype...Ashley was the skater who came out on top.

I still will never understand the dumping for Karen Chenby USFSA. Ashley should have won nationals in 2017 and she should have been 3rd in 2018. Karen was so lame at the Olympics crying about missing her mom and then drops out of worlds.

Ashley without question should have beaten Chen at both the 2017 Nationals and 2018 Nationals. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.

There is definitely some politics behind Chen which I dont get. Constantly underrotated and inconsistent jumps. Much better artistry than say Tennell but not nearly good enough to win on with her suspect jumping. I am sure the USFSA is for her to rise and be their top dog in the next quad but I dont see it happening, but I am sure she will be held up perennialy and controversially make some more teams in the coming years.

 

[savchenkoboss]

I just wish that she had been able to capitalize on her 2016 World Silver Medal and continued with the same momentum in 2017 and Pyeongchang. I think her 2017 programs were inferior to her 2016 programs which didn’t help but she seemed to be out of fight by 2017 Worlds

I know, but I think realistically that was always going to happen. She wasnt young to put it mildly, and the competition was only likely to rev up heading towards Pyeongchang.

While I dont think her silver at the 2016 worlds was undeserved, home court was also likely a factor. I think she realized that was the apex of her long career, it would have taken a lot to keep pushing forward at that point.